GAME PREVIEW: MARCH 15 AT INDY FUEL

GAME PREVIEW: MARCH 15 AT INDY FUEL

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – The Oilers enter their fourth-straight road game, taking on the Indy Fuel, who sit in third place in the competitive Central Division. 

DATE: Friday, March 15

LOCATION: Indiana Farmers Coliseum     

TIME: 6:00 p.m. CT  

OPPONENT: Indy Fuel  

WATCH: Flo Hockey

PROMOTIONS: N/A  

TULSA AT A GLANCE

OILERS RECORD: 27-26-5-1 (60 points, Third in Mountain Division) 

OILERS OVER THE LAST 10 GAMES: 4-5-10

OILERS ROAD RECORD: 11-13-1-1

OILERS STREAK: 2-0-0-0

LAST GAME: March. 13 at WIC  (5-3W) 

OILERS (ACTIVE) STATISTICAL LEADERS: 

Points: Dante Sheriff  – 42

Goals: Alec Butcher – 19

Assists: Jarod Hilderman – 30

+/-: Duggie Lagrone - + 15

PIM: Mike McKee – 64 

WINS: Gage Alexander – 5 

Save Percentage: Troy Kobryn - .895 

FUEL AT A GLANCE

FUEL RECORD: 30-21-5-1 (66 points, Third in Central Division) 

FUEL OVER THE LAST 10 GAMES: 4-4-1-1

FUEL HOME RECORD: 15-7-5-1

FUEL STREAK: 0-1-0-0

FUEL LAST GAME: Sunday, March. 10, 2024 at FW (4-3L)

FUEL (ACTIVE) STATISTICAL LEADERS: 

Points: Cam Hillis – 55

Goals: Jon Martin – 21

Assists: Cam Hillis– 38

+/-: Chris Cameron - +18

PIM: Chris Cameron- 105

Wins: Zach Driscoll- 18

Save Percentage: Mitchell Weeks .901

SEASON SERIES (FIRST GAME OF SEASON SERIES)

OILERS RECORD AGAINST CENTRAL DIVISION: 4-3-0-0

OILERS ROAD RECORD AGAINST CENTRAL DIVISION: 2-1-0-0

MOST RECENT MEETING: Dec. 4, 2022 (4-1, Indy) (2022-23 season)

MOST RECENT MEETING AT INDIANA FARMERS COLISEUM: FEB. 7, 2020 (6-2, Indy) (2019-20 season) 

MOST RECENT MEETING AT BOK CENTER: Dec. 4, 2022 (4-1, Indy) (2022-23 season)

OILERS RECORD AGAINST INDY OVER LAST FIVE SEASONS: 0-5-2-0

OILERS STATISTICAL LEADERS (SERIES): 

N/A

INDY FUEL STATISTICAL LEADERS (SERIES) 

N/A

STORYLINES

FIGURING OUT THE FUEL: Historically the Oilers have struggled against the Indy Fuel. Over the last five seasons, Indy has come away victorious in all seven meetings. Early on in their ECHL journey, the Oilers had more success, posting an all-time record of 3-9-4 against Indy. Tonight’s game will be the first time Tulsa has traveled to Indiana Farmers Coliseum since the 2019-20 season, battling the Fuel during a Central-Division tour roughly one month before the pandemic ended the campaign.  

ROTATING ROSTER: The Oilers have a lot of new faces in the locker room, something the team has become accustomed to over the last month. Five Oilers are on the roster having never played at the BOK Center in an Oilers’ sweater — Anthony Firriolo, Josh Nelson, Liam Markhauser, Matt Allen and Cade Townend.  

THE SHERIFF RIDES AGAIN : After a slower-than-average start after returning from injury, Dante Sheriff has brought his horse to a full gallop. The second-year Oiler has four multi-point games in his last five outings, collecting eight points (4G, 4A) over the stretch. Sheriff has been particularly efficient on the power play, finding the back of the net twice over the last four games. Sheriff has reached career highs in goals (16) assists (26) and points (42) in one less game than last season. As a rookie Sheriff recorded 30 points (13G, 17A) in 51 games.     

YOU GOTTA BE JOSHING ME: Mentioned above, Josh Nelson is one of the five newer faces on the squad. The OHL and USports product has two goals in his three professional games. The highlight of his short rookie campaign was a game-winning goal in Wednesday’s 5-3 win in Wichita. The Lockport, Illinois native used deceptive speed to blow by the defense and bear down Trevor Gorsuch, opening the five hole before depositing the puck between the reigning ECHL Goaltender of the Week’s wickets. Nelson’s goal came with just 1:37 remaining, answering three unanswered third-period Thunder goals.    

PLAYOFF RACE: The Mountain Division once again looks a bit different in spots 4-6. Before their defeat at the hands of the Oilers Wednesday, the Thunder had won four consecutive games, moving all the way to fifth in the division. Kansas City became the first team to clinch a playoff spot in the ECHL, followed by the Idaho Steelheads. No other team has mathematically secured a playoff berth across the premier ‘AA’ hockey league. The Grizzlies have dug their claws into the fourth-and-final playoff spot in the Mountain Division but see their grip slipping. Tied with Wichita in points, Utah has two games in hand on the Thunder, but have gone 3-6-1-0 in its last 10 games. Allen has slipped all the way to sixth, despite having a better record over the last 10 games than Tulsa and Wichita. The Americans’ folly is that they have continually lost head-to-head matchups against teams they are battling in the standings. Their silver lining is that with only 56 games played, they have multiple games in hand on every team in the Mountain Division. The Oilers currently sit six points ahead of Utah, with the Grizzlies possessing a game in hand, while the Oilers have a game in hand on Wichita, who also sit six points behind Tulsa.   

DIVISION STANDINGS

1. X Kansas City Mavs. – 91 points (.784%) 

2. X Idaho Steelheads — 73 points (.703%)

3. Tulsa Oilers        — 60 points (.508%)

4. Utah Grizzlies    — 54 points (.466%)

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5. Wichita Thunder — 54 points (.450%)

6. Allen Americans —53 points (.473%)

7. Rapid City Rush— 47 points (.405%)

RECENT TRANSACTIONS

March 1 — Reggie Millette — signed SPC 

March 1 — Blake McLaughlin — reassigned to San Diego by Anaheim 

March 3 — Anthony Costantini — recalled from loan by San Diego 

March 3 —Zane Schartz — Signed SPC 

March 4 — Julian Junca — recalled from loan by Chicago Wolves

March 5 — Josh Nelson — Signed ATO

March 6 — Liam Markhauser — Signed ATO

March 9 — Zan Schartz — released from SPC 

March 9 — Anthony Firriolo — acquired in from Iowa in exchange for future considerations

March 12 — Cade Townend — Signed ATO

March 13 — Matt Allen — Signed ATO 

The Oilers and Fuel battle again tomorrow, March 16 at Indiana Farmers Coliseum at 6:00 p.m. CT.